Increasingly, consumer transactions are conducted with automated machines Vending machines have been around for a long time. Automated teller machine (ATMs) are now also a common variation of a vending machine. As an advantage, automated machines can operate around the clock at convenient locations with minimal attention.
Many of these machines are equipped with cameras. In most cases and particularly for ATMs, the camera is strictly used for surveillance and security, see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,661, "Computer controlled rental and sale system and method for a supermarket and the like." In surveillance situations, there is no interaction between the consumer and the camera system, other than to detect misuse.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,216 "Vending machine and computer assembly" provides a vending machine with a camera system to record live performances of consumers for use in TV commercial and for audition. For example, the consumer can access a homepage of a company and audition for a TV commercial for promotional use or by two-way performances via the internet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,406 "Consumeral postage stamp vending machine" uses a camera in a vending machine to capture an image of the consumer, and to print a consumeralized postage stamp on a recording medium.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,999 "Vending machine, a vending system and methods for operating same," a camera is used as a purchase sensing unit. The camera acquires continuously the image of articles present in a vending machine. An image processor coupled to the camera detects changes in a recorded image both before and after each purchase, and during the purchase. The processor is used to compare between successive images to detect changes, to provide an indication of items that have been removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,619 "Information recognition system and control system using same" teaches vision system that recognizes facial expressions using a neural network. One application describes the use of the vision system with a vending machine to provide instructions depending on the operator's facial expressions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,806 "Knuckle profile identity verification system" describes an identification system that can be used with vending machines and ATMs. The system uses a camera to scan the knuckles of an operator's hand as the operator's hand works the machine.
Waters et al. in "Visual Sensing of Humans for Active Public Interfaces" describe computer vision-based sensing of people in front of a public kiosk. The vision system employs color and stereo tracking to sense user activity and location, and to direct a speaking agent in the kiosk display unit to attract attention, and to communicate with the user through visual and audio modalities.
It is desired to provide vending system equipped with a vision system. The vision system should be able to detect preferred consumers, and cause the vending machine to interact with preferred consumers.